Debt Collectors

By Andrew Behman, an Associate of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Yes, it is possible to serve documents via Facebook. In an earlier blog “Serving debtors that don’t want to be found“, we discussed how legal documents can be served by substituted service. Service via Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram are some of the many methods legal documents can be served by substituted service.

In possibly a world first in 2008, the ACT Supreme Court granted orders for substituted service for the police to serve legal documents via a private message on Facebook. Since then, there have been many occasions in which the courts have allowed legal documents to be served via Facebook. You might even remember that in 2012, the District Court of NSW allowed for legal documents to be served on the rapper Flo Rida via his official Facebook page. Those orders for service via Facebook were ultimately overturned on appeal because, among other reasons, the evidence did not show that Facebook page through which the documents were served was actually the Facebook page of Flo Rida.Continue reading…

By Andrew Behman, an Associate of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

In an earlier blog “When is an old debt too old to collect“, we discussed how some of the more difficult to collect debts are often placed in the ‘too hard basket’. An all too common reason that these debts are in the ‘too hard basket’ is because you can’t find the debtor. They’ve moved address and you can’t find them to be able to serve them with legal documents. However, this is not the end!

Yes, the law usually requires that legal documents be served personally. This is to make sure the defendant actually receives the legal documents and knows about the legal proceedings against them.

However, the court rules allow for you to serve legal documents in other ways. This is known as “substituted service”. Legal documents served by substituted service are deemed to be served and will allow you to continue proceedings to recover your debt. Some examples include serving legal documents by email, or even by leaving them at the last known address of the debtor and sending them a text to let them know where the documents have been left. In the social media era the courts are also becoming more prepared to make substituted service orders involving use of social media such as Facebook.

By Bonnie McMahon an Associate of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

The Commonwealth government has introduced the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Comprehensive Credit Reporting) Bill 2018 (“the Bill“), which is currently before the Senate.

If passed, the Bill will require the four major banks (Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) to supply their comprehensive credit information to credit reporting agencies, which will include information regarding customers that have been involved in a debt recovery process. The banks will also be required to keep the information they supply, accurate, complete and up to date, on all existing and new accounts.

How will the bill impact credit providers and debt recovery?

It is expected that these new credit reporting requirements will assist credit providers to make more informed assessments, when determining whether to approve credit applications. Further, it is anticipated that these reforms will assist credit providers to identify which applications may require future debt recovery, if approved.Continue reading…

This issue reared its head again two weeks ago in winding up proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW in which we acted for the creditor. The Court was satisfied with all but one element of the evidence required to make the winding up order. The Court did not accept that the statutory demand had been properly posted (even though there was evidence of postage).

The statutory demand had been ‘posted’ by an Australia Post employee attending and collecting it from the office premises rather than the statutory demand being placed into a post box. The Court was not prepared to accept that the statutory demand had been posted because it was unfamiliar with this practice. The Court was more familiar with posting a statutory demand by placing the document into a post box or directly with an Australia Post outlet.Continue reading…

By Andrew Behman, an Associate of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Sometimes, we are all a bit guilty of putting some of the more difficult to collect debts in the ‘too hard basket’ for too long. For so long that they become an ‘old debt’. But how long can you leave an old debt before it’s too late to collect? And the old debt becomes ‘statute barred’?

For debts in NSW, the clock generally starts running for a period of 6 years from the date the cause of action first accrues (e.g. the date of default). After the expiry of this 6 year period, the legislation restricts you from recovering the debt and it becomes ‘stature barred’.

However, it is possible to reset the clock on old debts depending on the circumstances and events that take place during the 6 year period. A few examples that might reset the clock for an old debt include:Continue reading…

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has just issued a press release warning consumers about the aggressive and misleading sales techniques of companies promising to wipe clean bad credit reports.

As the press release makes clear, many of these companies are making promises they cannot keep and at the same time are seeking large upfront payments. See a copy of the press release here.

Despite what you might hear in certain advertisements, there is no “magic wand” for a debtor to improve their credit rating. The only ways that a credit report can be amended or updated is if the default listing is incorrect or the debt is paid.

The popularity of these credit repair schemes serves as a reminder that reporting a payment default remains an effective way to manage delinquent debt.

At Matthews Folbigg Lawyers we utilise default listing with reporting agencies as part of our multi-faceted approach to debt collection.

If you would like to discuss how Matthews Folbigg Lawyers can improve your credit collection performance, we would love to speak with you.

Matthews Folbigg is one of Western Sydney's leading law firms located in the heart of Parramatta. We exist to make a difference and we take pride in our work and in the role we play in helping our clients to find solutions, resolve disputes, seize opportunities, and create and protect value.